50. Vladimir Guerrero, DH
(37 - Orioles)Vlad just hasn’t been able to get it going this year, though I expect that to change once interleague play comes to an end. He should have a couple of years left as a viable designated hitter before his loss of bat speed robs him of his ability to still chase bad pitches and end up with hits. It isn’t at all likely that he’ll make $8 million again next year.

49. Jon Garland, SP
(32 - Dodgers)*If Garland had come around five years earlier, his durability and slightly above average pitching would have gotten him a big four- or five-year deal during his first go in free agency. Unfortunately for him, teams are getting smarter and Garland has been forced to accept one-year pacts. Garland went 14-12 with a 3.47 ERA for the Padres last season, then settled for a one-year deal with an option to return to Los Angeles with the Dodgers. If he pitches 190 innings (a total he reached every year from 2002-10), he’s guaranteed $8 million next year. However, since he’s currently on the DL with shoulder inflammation, it looks like he’ll head back into free agency.

48. Ryan Ludwick, OF
(33 - Padres)Ludwick is going to have to hope teams will look past his year and a half of Petco-influenced numbers when he becomes a free agent this winter. He leads the Padres with nine homers and 45 RBI, but it comes with a modest .255/.322/.393 line in 267 at-bats. On the road, he’s doing somewhat better, having hit .279/.324/.419. A trade might put him in a friendlier environment this summer.

47. Bartolo Colon, SP
(38 - Yankees)Colon’s amazing comeback had resulted in a 3.10 ERA and a 72/18 K/BB ratio in 78 1/3 innings before his recent hamstring injury. He wasn’t going to last 200 innings anyway, so it might be for the best that he went down with a leg problem and gave his arm a couple of weeks off. If Colon can keep it going and finish with an ERA in the 3.50 range, then he may well earn $8 million-$10 million from a contender next year. However, the odds are against this being his only DL stint of the season.

46. J.D. Drew, OF
(36 - Red Sox)Some suspect that Drew will just up and retire with his five-year, $70 million contract coming to an end. Others suspect he already has, given that he’s collected just 18 of Boston’s league-high 386 RBI this year. He’s actually remained pretty healthy the last three years, and he’s still a fine defender in right field at age 35. He would have something of offer if he wanted to continue his career.

45. Alex Gonzalez, SS
(35 - Braves)Even having lost a step, Gonzalez remains a rock-solid defender. Offensively, he’s the same player he’s always been, having hit .254/.290/.387 with seven homers so far this year. I certainly wouldn’t recommend signing him to a multiyear deal, but it’d be a surprise if he doesn’t end up with a two-year contract. The Braves will likely try to re-sign him.

44. Coco Crisp, OF
(32 - Athletics)Crisp has managed to stay in the lineup this year, but his OPS is down 100 points from last year’s .779 mark. On the plus side, he’s still a quality defensive center fielder and excellent basestealer. If he can stay off the disabled list, he might land a two-year, $10 million deal this winter.

43. Jason Marquis, SP
(33 - Nationals)After going 2-9 with a 6.60 ERA in 13 starts during a 2010 season in which he was plagued by an elbow injury, Marquis has bounced back to start this year 7-2 with a 3.86 ERA. His ERA is due to rise, but if he stays healthy, he has a chance of landing another contract similar to the two-year, $15 million deal he’s currently finishing up.

42. Cody Ross, OF
(31 - Giants)Ross is making $6.3 million this year in his final season as an arbitration-eligible player. Since missing the first three weeks of the season with a strained calf, he’s hit .264/.348/.438 in 178 at-bats. Because of his career .255/.313/.413 line against right-handers, I view him as a borderline regular. However, given his relative youth and 20-homer power, he’ll be in demand. I’d expect something like $12 million for two years.

41. Carlos Pena, 1B
(33 - Cubs)Yeah, Pena is still just 33, though given his skill set, he seems unlikely to last a whole lot longer as a quality regular. It looked like he might be done six weeks ago, but he’s shaken off a horrible start -- he hit .159 with one extra-base hit in April -- to bat .221/.352/.432 with 13 homers though 213 at-bats. If he keeps improving, he might match the $10 million he’s making right now. The Cubs, though, should attempt to snag a bigger fish at first base.

40. Aaron Hill, 2B
(30 - Blue Jays)*With Hill coming off a .205/.271/.394 campaign last year, the Blue Jays declined their chance to keep him at $26 million for 2012-14. They still control his rights with $8 million club options for both 2012 and ’13, but as things stand now, he’s simply not worth the money. He’s hit .239/.283/.338 with just three homers in 222 at-bats this season. He finished with 36 homers in 2009 and 26 last year, plus he plays a pretty good second base, so there will be bidders. Still, the Jays have to be running out of patience.

39. David DeJesus, OF
(32 - Athletics)DeJesus has really fallen out of favor since Bob Melvin replaced Bob Geren in the manager’s seat for Oakland, but that should be a temporary situation. And if it’s not, then a trade will come this summer. DeJesus is just 31, and he’s about as good of a player as someone who has never hit 15 homers or stolen 15 bases can be. With any sort of rebound in the second half, he should be in line for $15 million over two years or $21 million for three.

38. Francisco Cordero, RP
(36 - Reds)*After blowing eight saves last year, Cordero had to deal with speculation that Aroldis Chapman might replace him as Cincinnati’s closer. He’s been terrific so far, though, amassing a 1.62 ERA and converting 15 of his 17 save chances. There’s not much chance of the Reds picking up his $12 million option no matter how well he pitches, but they might have some interest in bringing him back at lesser price tag. Something like $15 million for two years would be reasonable.

37. Josh Willingham, OF
(33 - Athletics)Willingham has plenty working against him now: he turns 33 in February, he has a history of back problems and he possesses an old player’s skill set. What he also has is a fine .262/.362/.469 career line despite never having played in a good environment for hitters. As tough as it can be to find right-handed power, he figures to catch the eyes of a lot of clubs. However, he’d be a poor bet on anything more than a two-year deal.

36. Michael Cuddyer, 1B/2B/OF
(33 - Twins)I think Cuddyer is a weaker option than Willingham, but my guess is that he’ll land the bigger contract. He’s shaken off a terrible start to hit .283/.346/.453 with 10 homers in 254 at-bats. Unfortunately, he’s already a liability in the outfield and his bat doesn’t make him a particularly attractive option at first base. The Twins might re-sign him for a couple of years anyway, but they should really be looking to get more athletic in the outfield.

35. Matt Capps, RP
(28 - Twins)Having allowed some key homers and blown five saves in 16 opportunities, Capps hasn’t helped his stock any this year. Still, he’d be a safer play on a three-year deal than most of the other relievers in this section. With so many other closing options available, he might find his best bet is to go the Rafael Soriano route and sign to serve as a setup man on the contender.

34. Jose Valverde, RP
(34 - Tigers)*Valverde was counting on a much bigger payday when he was a free agent two years ago, but he settled for a two-year, $14 million guarantee from the Tigers. That deal included a $9 million option for 2012 that will probably get picked up if Valverde maintains his current pace: he’s a perfect 17-for-17 converting save chances so far. The Tigers had hoped to replace him with Ryan Perry or Joel Zumaya down the line, but Perry isn’t ready and Zumaya can’t be counted on.

33. Rafael Furcal, SS
(34 - Dodgers)*Furcal’s abysmal season has had him bring up the possibility of retirement. In between injuries, he’s hit just .212/.246/.273 in 66 at-bats. Furcal was productive when healthy last season, but it was just 97 games. He hasn’t truly been both good and healthy since 2006, his first year with the Dodgers. It’s a must that he come back with a strong second half if he’s going to land another multiyear deal. Right now, something like the Lance Berkman-Vladimir Guerrero special (one year, $8 million) seems more appropriate. The Dodgers’ option for 2012 is for $12 million.

32. Joel Pineiro, SP
(33 - Angels)Pineiro has gone 13-10 with a 3.92 ERA in 34 starts since signing a two-year, $16 million contract with the Angels prior to last season. Except for the missed time due to an oblique strain last year and a sore shoulder early this season, he’s been exactly the pitcher the team thought he’d be. The Angels, though, probably won’t come up with the money to bring him back for another go in 2012. Another two-year deal for roughly the same amount would be fitting.

31. Kelly Johnson, 2B
(30 - Diamondbacks)Johnson has maintained last year’s homer pace, having hit 12 in 269 at-bats this season, but his OPS is all of the way down from .865 to .701. Most of that is batting average, but his walk rate has also dropped, while his strikeout rate has increased. I like Johnson’s bat, even though he hasn’t been nearly so productive outside of Chase Field since joining the Diamondbacks. Because he’s young and he has rare power for a middle infielder, he may land a three-year deal this winter. It could hinge on him getting his average up from .212 to .250-.260.

30. Paul Maholm, SP
(29 - Pirates)*With a 3.29 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP, Maholm might be on his way to a career season at a perfect time. Well, not completely perfect, because instead of setting himself up for a nice three-year deal, what will likely happen is that he’ll get his $9.75 million option for 2011 picked up. But that’s nothing to scoff at. Maholm is one of those durable, average-to-somewhat-above-average starters that teams are a lot smarter about not overpaying these days. It’d make more sense to pay him $10 million next year than it would $30 million for four years.

29. Jonathan Broxton, RP
(27 - Dodgers)Broxton had a 0.89 ERA on this day a year ago, and he stood as the clear No. 1 in the exceptional class of closers set to become free agents after 2011. The last 12 months have been disastrous, though, with Broxton losing velocity, confidence and his closing gig twice. Now he’s on the DL with a bone spur in his elbow that might yet require surgery. He could salvage things in the second half and still earn a big multiyear deal as a free agent. However, barring an exceptional finish, he might be better off taking a one-year contract in an attempt to rebuild his value. He’s just 27, after all.

28. Hisashi Iwakuma, SP
(30 - Japan)The A’s won the bid for Iwakuma through the posting system last year, anteing up $19.1 million for his rights, and they were willing to pay him another $16 million for four years in salary. That wasn’t enough for Iwakuma, though, and he opted to return to Japan for the one year he had left before free agency. Iwakuma’s stock is down now, as he’s been sidelined with a shoulder injury since opening the season 3-2 with a 1.72 ERA for the Rakuten Golden Eagles. If he gets healthy, he’ll make his way into the top 20 here by season’s end. After all, the A’s thought he was worth about $35 million for four years.

27. Jason Kubel, OF
(29 - Twins)Kubel was at his absolute best in 2009, when he hit .300 with 28 homers in 514 at-bats for the Twins. In 2010, his power mostly stuck around, even though Target Field proved to be a terrible home run park, but his average dropped to .249. This year, he’s back hitting for average, but his power has slipped, as he’s at .310 with five homers in 200 at-bats. Kubel will be an interesting call as a free agent, since he’s younger than all of the guys like him. If he strikes early, I think he’ll have a decent shot of landing a three-year contract. If he waits, teams may start wondering why he’s worth a $20 million commitment when an older player could do the same job for $5 million next year.

26. Erik Bedard, SP
(33 - Mariners)Bedard, who missed all of 2010 and much of the previous two seasons with shoulder problems, is looking about as good as ever lately; his ERA stands at 1.54 for his last 10 starts and 2.93 overall. He’s going to be a huge risk on a multiyear deal, but some team will go three or four years on him if he stays healthy throughout the season. The Yankees are one of the teams that could afford to take the chance.

25. Francisco Rodriguez, RP
(30 - Mets)*As you may have heard, K-Rod’s much-discussed, three-year, $37 million deal with the Mets includes a $17.5 million option for 2012 that vests with an additional 27 games finished this season. He’s already finished 27, so he’s on pace to get there, though many in the Mets organization would surely prefer he didn’t. After a fantastic first two months, Rodriguez has slipped lately, having given up eight runs and blown two saves in June. For the year, he has a 3.34 ERA and 19 saves in 22 chances. Even though he’s been around for 10 years and is in position to land a second healthy contract as a free agent, Rodriguez is just 29. He doesn’t even turn 30 until January. His fastball isn’t what it was, but he should have several more 30-save seasons in his future.

24. Hiroki Kuroda, SP
(37 - Dodgers)If he wanted to, Kuroda could have gone out and gotten a three-year deal as a free agent last winter. However, he liked L.A. and he wasn’t sure how much longer he wanted to pitch in the U.S. anyway. In exchange for agreeing to a one-year, $12 million contract, Kuroda did get a full no-trade clause, yet I can’t help but wonder if he feels so strongly about remaining with the Dodgers given the messy state of the franchise. Should he put himself back on the open market, he may well command $24 million for two years.

23. Ryan Madson, RP
(31 - Phillies)After a few false starts, Madson is proving he’s just as good in the ninth inning as he’s been in the eighth. He’s 15-for-16 saving games this year, and he has a 2.03 ERA in 31 innings. Unfortunately for potential suitors, now that he has that closer sheen, he no longer figures to be undervalued in free agency. Given his relative youth and durability, he’ll be in line for a three-year deal worth at least $7 million per year. Actually, he’s the one reliever in the entire group that would be a reasonable option for four years.

22. Lance Berkman, 1B/OF
(36 - Cardinals)The Cardinals are wishing they could have tacked an option year on to Berkman’s one-year, $8 million contract. The longtime Astro has turned back the clock and hit .307/.418/.595 with 17 homers and 51 RBI in 215 at-bats this season, and since he’s gotten himself into better shape, he looks like a pretty good bet for the next couple of years. He does belong at first base, and given his likely price tag, he’s probably not going to remain teammates with Albert Pujols next year. However, he would be the obvious choice to take over at first if Pujols leaves.

21. Adam Wainwright, SP
(30 - Cardinals)*Wainwright options for 2012 and ’13 vested at $22 million when he finished second in the NL Cy Young voting last season, but there’s a clause in his contract that allows the Cardinals to void them if he finishes 2011 on the DL with an arm problem, which is just what will happen after he underwent Tommy John surgery in February. They’re probably going to keep him anyway. Given the success veteran hurlers typically have overcoming Tommy John and the fact that Wainwright pitched like a $20 million-per-year guy each of the last two seasons, it’d be even riskier to let him go than it would be to commit the cash to him.

20. Aramis Ramirez, 3B
(33 - Cubs)Ramirez picked up his $14.6 million player option to remain with the Cubs this year. The team won’t exercise his $16 million option for 2012, and it’s pretty much certain that he’ll be looking at a paycut in free agency. Ramirez, one of the game’s most consistent hitters in his first six years with the Cubs, has seen his OPS slip from the .900 range to .746 in 2010 and .727 so far this season. That the next best third basemen on the market are Casey Blake, who might have his option picked up, and Wilson Betemit will really help Ramirez’s market, but he still might have to settle for a one-year deal unless he puts together a stronger second half.

19. J.J. Hardy, SS
(29 - Orioles)After two down seasons, the first of which included a trip to the minors and pushed back his free agency timetable by a year, Hardy has been on a tear for the Orioles, hitting .304/.366/.532 through 171 at-bats. He’s a fine defensive shortstop, so as long as he’s posting a .700 OPS, he’s a solid regular. At .900, he’s an All-Star. If he holds on and finishes this year in the .800-.850 range, he could be in line for a four-year, $30 million deal as a free agent. The Orioles would much rather sign him to a two-year extension since prospect Manny Machado should be ready by 2014.

18. Roy Oswalt, SP
(34 - Phillies)*Back problems have robbed Oswalt of his best stuff this year, and he’s currently 4-6 with a 3.79 ERA through 13 starts. The Phillies hold a $16 million option for 2012 that they won’t pick up unless Oswalt looks better in the second half. Oswalt also has the ability to terminate the option if he’d rather pursue a multiyear deal. Oswalt, though, probably won’t seek a particularly long-term pact, and even though he’ll be just 34, he might just decide to walk away from the game if his back doesn’t start feeling better.

17. Carlos Beltran, OF
(34 - Mets)He seems a bit older and maybe he even plays a bit older now after his knee woes, but Beltran won’t turn 35 until after next season begins. With the way he’s bounced back offensively -- he’s currently hitting .279/.371/.485 -- he’s put himself in line for at least a two-year deal if he can finish the season healthy. Of course, that’s a big if for a guy who was limited to 81 games in 2009 and 64 last year. In a weak outfield class, he’s worth $12 million-$15 million per year.

16. Ryan Dempster, SP
(34 - Cubs)*Dempster controls his destiny with a $14 million player option for 2012. Since his horrible April looks like an aberration - he has a 3.38 ERA over his last 10 starts, pulling his season mark down from 9.58 to 5.46 -- he might be able to go back out on the open market and get $36 million for three years. His decision figures to come down to whether he wants to remain a Cub or not. There’s been talk of him being traded this summer, but since he has full no-trade protection given his status as a 10-and-five player, he’s in control of his destiny there, too.

15. Nick Swisher, OF
(31 - Yankees)*If any free agent outfielder is going to get a four-year deal this winter, it would be Swisher. He’s young at 31, he’s perfectly capable in the outfield and he’s a safe bet to give a team 20 homers and a nice OBP for a few more years. Swisher, though, does have an old player’s skill set, and it’s possible he won’t age very well as he reaches his mid-30s. Fortunately, the Yankees can just pick up his $10.25 million option for 2012 rather than have to make a $30 million-$40 million decision on him.

14. Mark Buehrle, SP
(33 - White Sox)Everyone has always sort of figured that Buehrle, a Missouri native, would finish his career with the Cardinals. He’s made it clear that he doesn’t intend to pitch into his upper-30s, and his next contract might be his last. Still, the Cardinals aren’t likely to have a lot of money to spend for pitching unless they decide to let Adam Wainwright go and, even though he’s slipped some, Buehrle likely would command in excess of $10 million per year on the open market. He’ll probably have to take a bit of a discount if he wants to go to St. Louis.

13. David Ortiz, DH
(36 - Red Sox)Except for teammate Adrian Gonzalez, Ortiz has been as productive as anyone in the league the last two months, hitting .335 with 15 homers and 37 RBI in 172 at-bats since the beginning of May. He really wanted a multiyear deal last winter, but it looked like the Red Sox were being smart in just exercising his $12.5 million option. Now he’s going to be able to force them to commit for multiple years if they want to keep him. Designated hitters are always replaceable, but Big Papi just wouldn’t look right in any other uniform. Maybe the two sides will be able to settle at $25 million-$28 million for two years.

12. Heath Bell, RP
(34 - Padres)It’ll be interesting to see if Bell’s age is held against him when he reaches free agency. He’s three years older than Jonathan Papelbon and four years Francisco Rodriguez’s senior. Jonathan Broxton is seven years younger than Bell. Bell has the best track record of the group these last three years, but he’s also had Petco Park working in his favor (even if his road numbers are outstanding) and he hasn’t had to deal with the pressure that comes with closing for a large-market team. Given the modest workload he enjoyed in his 20s, I like Bell’s chances of lasting as a quality closer for another three or four years. Since he’ll probably go cheaper, he looks like a better investment than Papelbon.

11. Brandon Phillips, 2B
(30 - Reds)*$12 million is a whole lot to pay for a second baseman, but in the Reds’ case, it’d seem smarter to pick up Phillips’ option than to give him the four- or five-year extension he’s going to want to forgo free agency. Phillips will likely use Dan Uggla’s five-year, $62 million deal with the Braves as a benchmark; though the two are very different players, one could argue they’ve been similarly valuable. Uggla was a bad idea at that price, though, and Phillips isn’t worth it, either. He’s an excellent defender, but his career-high OBP is .332 and he’s unlikely to suddenly take a step forward offensively.

10. Edwin Jackson, SP
(28 - White Sox)It’s the free agents that are perceived as having upside that often go for more than anyone expects. Jackson is 52-57 with a 4.60 ERA in his career, but he threw a no-hitter for the Diamondbacks last year and he’s struck out 726 batters in 966 innings as a major leaguer. He was one of the AL’s best starters for three months in 2009, and he was very good down the stretch last season after being traded to the White Sox. Some team is going to pay him and hope that he’ll finally put it together for six months. I think $30 million for three years is the bottom end, with $60 million for five years being a real possibility if he ends up with a sub-4.00 ERA this year.

9. Jimmy Rollins, SS
(32 - Phillies)Jose Reyes has really stolen the show, and for the moment anyway, no one seems to care that Rollins, too, is a free agent this winter. Rollins’ offense has fallen of pretty dramatically; from 2004-08, he posted OPSs of at least .770 every year, whereas he’s come in at .714 and .694 in the two years since. This year, he’s at .709. Offense is down across the league, but that’s still a tumble. On the other hand, it’s almost all power: Rollins actually has a pretty impressive 64/72 K/BB ratio in 642 at-bats the last two seasons. In his MVP season in 2007, he had an 85/49 K/BB ratio in 716 at-bats. As a plus defensive shortstop, a .330-OBP guy and an excellent basestealer, Rollins still has plenty of value. My guess is that he re-ups with the Phillies for around $50 million for four years.

8. Chris Carpenter, SP
(36 - Cardinals)Carpenter gave the Cardinals nothing in 2007 or 2008, but his five-year, $63.5 million extension hasn’t worked out so badly for the team: he’s 35-20 with a 3.07 ERA over the last three seasons. The Cards hold a $15 million option for 2012 that includes a $1 million buyout. With Carpenter sitting at 2-7 with a 4.26 ERA right now, it’s no given that it will be picked up. However, a strong second half would make it a pretty easy call. A healthy Carpenter, even coming off a season in which he posted an ERA in the 4.00-4.30 range, would likely command $30 million for two years.

7. Jonathan Papelbon, RP
(31 - Red Sox)Pay no attention to the 4.03 ERA: Papelbon’s stuff is just as good as ever and he’s getting more swings and misses than he has in years. The 39/5 K/BB ratio in 29 innings is a better illustration of how he’s throwing. Of course, it’s still going to be a big risk giving him a four-year deal. $45 million for three years may be the magic number for the Red Sox. If it’s going to be more than that, perhaps they’ll move on and try to sign Ryan Madson or Jonathan Broxton to pair with Daniel Bard. I’m guessing some team will go four.

6. Grady Sizemore, OF
(29 - Indians)*It’s a shame about Grady, who ranked as one of the AL’s very best players while hitting .279/.380/.499 with 85 homers in 1,917 at-bats from age 23 through 25. In the three injury-plagued years since, he’s hit .238/.323/.423 with 25 homers in 730 at-bats. I still view the Indians’ $9 million option for 2012 as a no-brainer if he finishes the season healthy. He hasn’t been worth that kind of money with his performance so far this year (he’s at .235/.308/.470 in 166 at-bats), but there’s reason to hope he’ll yet reemerge as at least a $15 million player down the line.

5. C.J. Wilson, SP
(31 - Rangers)The Rangers lost a left-handed ace to the Phillies last winter, but not without a fight. They’ll wage another war this winter to keep Wilson, who figures to draw interest from the Yankees, Nationals and anyone else willing to spend big money on a top-of-the-rotation left-hander. With a 7-3 record and a 3.17 ERA through 16 starts, Wilson is on pace to put up a line nearly identical to his 2010. I think he’s a pretty big injury risk, so I wouldn’t recommend going big to sign him. However, as things stand now, he’s in line for a five-year, $80 million deal similar to what John Lackey got from the Red Sox and A.J. Burnett received from the Yankees.

4. Jose Reyes, SS
(28 - Mets)Reyes has been a $15 million player in 3 1/2 of his eight big-league seasons. He was worth at least that much each season from 2006-08, and he’s been worth quite a bit more in the nearly half of 2011 that’s in the books. The other 4 1/2 seasons included his fine rookie half-season, two years in which he was injured and ineffective (2004 and 2009) and two seasons in which he was a clear disappointment, yet still a pretty good regular thanks to his speed and defense (2005 and 2010). The team that signs Reyes this winter is going to be paying $20 million per season with no real expectation that he’ll be worth it in all of them. $140 million for seven years, which is essentially Carl Crawford money, looks like a good guess.

3. CC Sabathia, SP
(31 - Yankees)*Sabathia has been everything the Yankees hoped he’d be in amassing a 49-19 record and a 3.30 ERA the last three years. He said last year that he had no intention of opting out of the final four years of his deal, but it makes all kinds of sense for him to do so, assuming that he finishes the season healthy. The Yankees aren’t going to want to risk losing him, and I can’t imagine they’d balk at adding a couple of more years to his deal. Sabathia would make $92 million for four years if he declines to opt out. I expect that he and the Yankees will work out something that will put him at about $150 million for six years.

2. Prince Fielder, 1B
(27 - Brewers)Joel Zumaya is actually the youngest pitcher set to become a free agent this winter. Fielder is the youngest hitter after declining to give up any free agency time to sign a long-term deal with the Brewers. He’s turning in a whale of a season with freedom looming. He’s not going to hit 50 homers, like he did in 2007, but his current 1.033 OPS would be a career high. That Fielder is also whale-like in stature makes giving him a long-term deal a scary proposition, particularly for an NL team. But he’ll probably get at least $150 million for six years and he might match Mark Teixeira’s eight-year, $180 million deal with the Yankees.

1. Albert Pujols, 1B
(32 - Cardinals)Pujols has struggled to find his swing this year, but he was hitting .317 with eight homers in 17 games this month before suffering a fractured left wrist Sunday. He’ll be back in six weeks, but I wonder if his power will return right away or if that might not come back until next year. Regardless, Pujols is going to get the biggest contract of any free agent this winter. That he’s more than four years older than Fielder can’t just be thrown out, but given their builds, there’s a good chance Pujols will still be the better player a half-dozen years down the line. He’s simply a unique talent, with three MVPs and four runner-up finishes through 10 major league seasons. I don’t think it will get him $300 million, but $220 million-$240 million for eight years would be suitable.